Eddy v. Albertson's, Inc.

2001 UT 88, 34 P.3d 781, 432 Utah Adv. Rep. 33, 2001 Utah LEXIS 172, 2001 WL 1246699
CourtUtah Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 19, 2001
Docket990871
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 2001 UT 88 (Eddy v. Albertson's, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Utah Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Eddy v. Albertson's, Inc., 2001 UT 88, 34 P.3d 781, 432 Utah Adv. Rep. 33, 2001 Utah LEXIS 172, 2001 WL 1246699 (Utah 2001).

Opinion

DURHAM, Justice:

11 Plaintiff James G. Eddy (James I), on behalf of his minor son, filed suit against defendant Albertson's Inc. for false imprisonment and intentional infliction of emotional distress. A jury found in favor of James I only with respect to the first claim. Albert-son's appeals, arguing that the trial court erred in denying its motion for directed verdict and/or motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, and in failing to instruct the jury regarding a beer retailer's right to detain an intoxicated minor pursuant to seetion 82A-12-221 of the Utah Code. We affirm.

BACKGROUND

2 On the evening of Friday, October 13, 1995, James Eddy II (James II) and Will Emdin, both minors, went to an Albertson's grocery store to meet their friend Reannon. Reannon, also a minor, was working at Al-bertson's that evening. Prior to the meeting, James II had consumed some beer but was not showing signs of physical impairment. Will had not consumed any alcohol. At Al-bertson's, James II and Will talked inside the store with Reannon. Then, pursuant to a prior arrangement, James II and Will took Reannon's car keys, went to Will's car, which was parked next to Reannoun's in a far corner of the parking lot, transferred some beer from Will's car to Reannon's, and closed the trunk of Reannon's car.

113 At that point, two Albertson's employees approached James II and Will, The employees asked to search the cars, specifying that suspicion of shoplifting was the basis for the search. According to the employees, they were looking for Miller High Life beer; they found only Old Milwaukee beer, a brand not carried by Albertson's. During the encounter, the employees noticed that James II was intoxicated. They told James II and Will to return to the store, but did not state a reason.

1 4 James II refused. Instead, he got into the passenger side of Will's car, but the employees grabbed him by the arms and shoulders and forcibly removed him. They proceeded to drag James II through the parking lot back into the store. During this encounter, James II struggled and asked to be released. Once inside, James II was physically restrained in the store by Keith Haslam, Albertson's assistant store director, until police arrived. James II was cited for consumption of alcohol and released into his *783 father's custody. Will, who had returned to the store voluntarily, was not cited for any offenses.

T 5 The following day, James I, James II's father, discussed the incident with Keith, Subsequently, James I filed suit on behalf of James II against Albertson's for false imprisonment and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

T6 Prior to trial, Albertson's asked the court to instruct the jury regarding a beer retailer's right to detain an intoxicated minor pursuant to section 32A-12-221 of the Utah Code. The court denied this request. However, at trial the jury was instructed with respect to the citizen's arrest statute, section Ti-i-3 of the Utah Code.

T7 James II and Will testified at trial that they were taken back into the store for shoplifting. Will's specific testimony was, "the employees said they needed to search our car because they thought we had stolen some ... beer." According to his testimony, the Al-bertson's employees never acknowledged that he and James II had not stolen any Albertson's beer, even though they had found none in the search. In addition, Codi Ann Stevens, an eyewitness, testified that when she asked employees working at the front of the store why the two Albertson's employees were going after James II and Will, she was told "because they thought [they] had shoplifted." Seott Robertson, one of the two Albertson's employees who brought James II back into the store, testified that "(Jt started out as a shoplifting thing. ..." James I testified that when he discussed the incident with Keith, the latter said, "[Albertson's] had a right to protect [itself] against shoplifters." In fact, according to James I, Keith did not mention any other reason for detaining James IL.

8 Prior to jury deliberations, Albertson's made a motion for a directed verdict or, alternatively, for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict. The trial court denied the motion. The jury found that Albertson's falsely imprisoned James II, but did not find intentional infliction of emotional distress. Accordingly, the jury awarded $5616 in damages and costs. This appeal followed.

ANALYSIS

I. MOTION FOR DIRECTED VERDICT AND/OR MOTION FOR JUDGMENT NOTWITHSTANDING THE VERDICT

19 Albertson's appeals the trial court's denial of its motion for a directed verdict and motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict on two grounds. First, Albertson's claims there was insufficient evidence to find that it falsely imprisoned James II. In addition, Albertson's contends it had the right to detain James II, an intoxicated minor, under section 777-8 of the Utah Code.

A. Sufficiency of the Evidence

T10 A judgment should be vacated only if, after viewing the evidence and all reasonable inferences in the light most favorable to the prevailing party, the appellate court concludes that the evidence is insufficient to sustain the verdict. Franklin v. Stevenson, 1999 UT 61, ¶ 6, 987 P.2d 22. It is undisputed that the two Albertson's employees suspected James II and Will of stealing some beer and searched the cars accordingly. James II and Will both testified they believed the search and subsequent detention occurred in connection with suspicion of stealing Albertson's beer. In addition, James II and Will both testified that James II was forcibly returned to the store for shoplifting. This testimony was supported by the testimony of an eyewitness and one of the employees involved in the search. Furthermore, after the incident, Keith told James I the store "had a right to protect [itself] against shoplifters." (emphasis added).

¶11 Based on this evidence, it was reasonable for the jury to conclude that the two Albertson's employees were acting on suspicion of shoplifting, and that under the circumstances the suspicion was unfounded and could not give rise to a right to arrest and detain.

B. Citizen's Arrest

112 Albertson's relies alternatively on the theory that it had a citizen's right to detain James II because he was engaged in a *784 public offense in the presence of its employees. The "citizen's arrest" statute provides, in pertinent part, that "[al private person may arrest another: (1) For a public offense committed by another in his presence...." Utah Code Ann. § 77-7-8(1) (1995){(emphasis added). However, for such an arrest to be lawful, section 77-7-6(1) of the Utah Code requires that "the person making the arrest shall inform the person being arrested of his intention, cause and authority to arrest him." Nevertheless, there are statutory exceptions to this notice requirement. In particular, "such notice shall not be required when ... the person being arrested is actually engaged in the commission of, or an attempt to commit, an offense[.]" Utah Code Ann. § 77-7-6(1)(b) (1995).

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Bahnmaier v. Northern Utah Healthcare Corporation
2017 UT App 105 (Court of Appeals of Utah, 2017)
State Ex Rel. L.N.
2007 UT App 67 (Court of Appeals of Utah, 2007)
Smith v. HALES & WARNER CONSTRUCTION, INC.
2005 UT App 38 (Court of Appeals of Utah, 2005)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2001 UT 88, 34 P.3d 781, 432 Utah Adv. Rep. 33, 2001 Utah LEXIS 172, 2001 WL 1246699, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/eddy-v-albertsons-inc-utah-2001.